A Softer Side
by Courtney JoAnne
Summary: Tino had never seen that side of Berwald, but even the cold, stoic Swede had a warm smile to share. Pure fluff Inside
1. A Warm Autumn Day

A Softer Side

As far as Tino was concerned, the house they lived in was huge.

It took days to clean, and in winter, it was worse as Sealand rarely ever left the house. Not to mention the multitudes of other people who came over on a day to day basis. Denmark, Norway, Iceland… add Sweden and himself to the mix and it might as well be impossible to keep the house in order.

At least Sweden tried to help. At the moment, Sweden was trying to help with the dishes. He seemed to be making more of a mess with the water though, and though Finland appreciated the fact all he was to do was rinse and dry the dishes, it was beginning to bother him.

"Berwald…"

"Mm?" the silent man looked up from his work, and Tino habitually felt a bit of fear at the straight face, but he knew where to look to see the other's harmless curiosity.

"Please be more careful, you're getting water everywhere…" he felt bad because Sweden _was_ just trying to help, but it was just another mess to clean up afterwards though.

"M' s'rry." He went back to his work, consciously trying to not make a mess as he cleaned the breakfast dishes.

Things were going quietly for a few more minutes, Tino relaxing as he saw Berwald had wiped up the water that had spilt before he had continued. As he relaxed though, he didn't notice that Berwald had slowed and was watching him. He only noticed anything different when after a few moments; he felt the water lapping against his arms in waves from the other side of the double sink. Upon that realization, Tino looked up to see if the other had dropped something into the water, but when he turned to see what was going on, he had water flicked into his face.

" B-berwald?" he opened his eyes a peep, having closed them in shock, a bit nervous to if more would be flicked into his face. When he finally met the eyes of the other, he was rewarded with a playful smile though, and as he suspected, more water flicked into his face.

Tino flinched away from the spray again, though stopped when he realized the difference.

Sweden was smiling.  
Not just his eyes, his lips were upturned.

And he looked… playful.

"Ber… wald?" he had forgotten the dishes, he was confused. Before he could ask anything more though, there was one last flick of water, and that teasing smile.

"Mm...y's l've?"

Tino didn't think for a moment, but it was the smile that drove him wild, what drove him to forget his chores and his confusion. It was the smile that installed in him a sense of playfulness akin to that in Sweden's eyes. With that, he dipped his fingers in the rinse water and flicked water back, starting a mini water war. Water was flicked back and forth, both of them becoming caught up in the rare mood, enjoying themselves.

Soon the war was escalated. Sweden had dipped his hands in sudsy water, smearing it down Finland's face. This got a squeak and a response out of the other in the form of a similar attack. Tino ran hands cupped and filled with bubbles through the other's hair, grinning while the other filled his large hands with the soapy water and pouring it over his head.

It went on like this for a while, playing in the bright airy kitchen, bubbles floating around from the escapades with the water and soap, and it took the voice of a young boy to pull them out of their own world.

" Mama? Papa?" Peter stood in the doorway, looking in at his soaked parents. He had gotten distracted from his play by bubbles floating through the house, but when he followed them to their source he hadn't expected to find this.

Berwald and Tino looked at their son blankly for a moment, but soon a smile spread across the smaller man's face. Glancing up at his husband, Berwald had the same gentle, knowing smile on.

With that, Tino dipped his hands in the soapy water, while Berwald filled a cap he had previously recruited and soon they were advancing on the small island nation, very well intending for him to join.

Peter watched his parents, confused. Soon he was squirming under their hands though, laughing. Tino was smearing his cheeks with suds, while Berwald poured water over his head, soaking him through his little blue hat.

After that Sealand willingly joined the fun, pulling out his little squirt gun he always had on him. Even Hanatamago joined in, frolicking in the gathering puddles underfoot, not wanting to be left out of the family fun.

As the autumn sun grew high in the sky, signaling noon, Berwald found himself laying his exhausted family down for a nap. He managed to persuade Tino to change into his warm pajamas before he layed down, but he ended up having to help his small son to change before laying him down next to his beloved wife. He even dried off Hanatamago as she wanted to lay down with them too.

But Berwald didn't lay down with his family. After drying himself off and changing, he went back to the kitchen. He mopped up their mess before going back to the breakfast dishes, and as he worked he consciously tried to make an effort not to spill water everywhere.


	2. A Frosty Winter Noon

Anyone who had ever been in Tino's house knew that he hated messes. Like a true housewife he liked to keep his dwelling in a perfectly ordered state. He wasn't too anal about it, but where there was free time that was not previously claimed, there was a Finn in an apron cleaning.

But only people who had been to Finland's house in the winter knew what he hated the most out of any mess. And sadly, for a child like Peter, it was something all too tempting to do.

"Peter Kirkland!" the micro nation scrambled to run away, knowing he was in big trouble if his given last name was used. The boy didn't get away in time though, as a small yet strong hand caught him by the collar.

"Whatever it is I didn't do it!" the boy squirmed under the surprisingly firm grip that dragged him towards a fogged up window in the next room.

" Then who, Peter, drew a picture of you on Sealand on the window?" the boy was forced to look at the doodle on the class that he had drawn a couple hours earlier and he began to recall.

"Oh yah! That!" he began to laugh until he realized he had just confessed to his crime.

"Now you get to clean the windows young man! I didn't spend all day cleaning the floors to clean the windows too!"The boy sighed and was sat down and told to wait as Tino got the supplies to clean the windows.

Tino walked down the hall towards the supply closet with a sigh. It's not that he enjoyed punishing the boy but…

He sighed again and turned to look out the window into the snowy wonderland outside. He should just bundle him up and send him outside with Hanatamago after he was done with the one-

And then he saw it again.

At first all he saw was a line, but he was a bit aggravated already. If he had drawn on this window too he would have the boy wash every window on this floor. But as he looked closer at the little drawing (because no matter how much it bothered him he always found the doodles absolutely darling) he found it wasn't a drawing, but one long arrow pointing in the direction he was going.

At first he was agitated again, wondering what the use of that was. Soon though, his curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to the next window in the hall to find the same thing. And to his surprise, as he walked on, the arrows kept going, leading him on.

Finally he came to the kitchen and looked around. The last window was above the sink, and he could see from where he stood the blueness of the sky coming the neat lines of the arrow , and it pointed to the sliding glass door.

Walking over to the slider he found himself looking at one word written neatly at his eye level.

"_Look."_

Curiously, he glanced around the kitchen, but upon finding nothing of interest, he slid the door open, bracing himself for the cold.

But that was not what he needed braving for. It was what he saw when he was outside in the cold.

Instead of the soft blanket of white he expected, he found his deck clear, a brown wooden patch against a white landscape. And on that cleared deck, in the center, sat a large igloo.

Finland was in awe. He hadn't seen one sense he had made one as a child, centuries ago. He remembered distinctly the time it took to make the clearest.

Stepping forward, he put a hand on it gently. He was completely wrapped up in his thoughts. That's why he didn't notice the cold pricking at his skin or hands, or more importantly, the large nation who was sneaking up behind him.

A pair of arms wrapped around him and Tino let out a very unmanly squeak. He didn't squirm much as he quickly realized who it was though, and soon was making more of an effort to climb into the arms of the other man.

"Yuh l'ke?"Finland looked up to the taller man and nodded furiously with a smile.

"I love it." He commented, though he was quickly surprised again as his tall partner knelt, setting him down and nudging him to crawl into the frozen shelter, promptly falling in after him.

Soon Tino found himself in a warm little area, feeling hidden away from the rest of the world and safe. The latter though, was probably more from the fact he soon found himself held tightly to the larger man's chest once they were inside though.

After getting comfortable, they laid like that for a long time, cuddling and passing quiet kisses back and forth. The silence was only broken when soft giggles flowed from Tino, though normally this wasn't his fault as he was being attacked with friendly fire of Eskimo kisses and butterfly kisses on his neck and face. Truthfully, he had forgotten about punishing their son, he was just too wrapped up in the sweetness of the moment.

Peter hadn't forgotten though, and he didn't want to do the chore. He wanted to go out and play. So, a bit worried about where his mother and father had gone, he slid off the stool he had been sitting on to find his mommy and beg to be taken to hang out with Raivus if the other had forgotten about his punishment.

He looked all around the house, but upon not finding either of his adopted parents anywhere, the boy grew more worried. He considered they might be out front clearing the drive of snow, though that ending up being a fruitless idea. So after checking a couple of stupid places, he went to the only place he hadn't checked, the backyard.

And was he surprised with what he found there.

Upon seeing the igloo, the boy grew excited. He had tried to make one so many times, but he neither had the patience or skill to make one. So having never seen one, he was beside himself with joy.

He got down on his hands and knees, peering curiously into the opening to see if anything was in it, and was truthfully shocked to see his parents curled up together asleep. In his joy of finding the igloo he had forgotten he had been looking for them.

Not wanting to be left out of the igloo fun though, he crawled in, curling up against Finland to sleep with them.

It was close to dinner when Tino woke to the orange glow seeping through eh entry way to their icy cave. He was a bit surprised to find the little island nation curled up with them, and he smiled and chuckled lightly. It was so quaint, all of the curled up in the sun's setting light like this.

His light laughter woke up Sealand though, who sleepily and thoughtlessly shot up to the sitting position, punching a hole through the top of the igloo with his head. With that the igloo began to crumble around them into a pile of snow.

It wasn't too dangerous; in fact both Tino and Peter easily pushed their way out of the snow immediately. And though the snow was light and easy to push out of the way, it was still enough to wake the Swede as well, and he groggily sat up, looking at his family confused.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Peter threw himself at Tino, worried he would be in trouble again, much to the amusement of both parents. "I'm sorry! I should have been more careful! I'm sorry I ruined your igloo!" Tino laughed and looked at Sweden who sleepily smirked.

"Well Peter, Papa made it, so you have to apologize to him." He began to pull himself out of the snow, holding a hand out to help his husband out. The minute he had helped the other to his feet though, the larger man was tackled back into the smile of snow onto the deck.

"I'm sorry Papa! Forgive me! I don't want to be in trouble!" The two parents laughed at their son's innocent distress.

"'t's f'ne." the Berwald mumbled through his low laugh, and he flicked snow in the direction of the boy.

The comment had made the boy relax and grin, happy that it was okay. But when the snow was flick in his face he began to pout before flicking snow right back. Soon, from that, what had been a relaxing nap turned into a snowball fight in the setting sun; with running around, forts built, and laughter floating through the air.

By the time it had ended, Tino had been dragged into it and twilight was fading into the dark of night. That was when Tino declared the war a tie, telling his dear family to go inside and dry off.

The rest of the night went to rather quietly. Sealand had his bath while Tino made dinner, and after they all ate the nice stew, he and Sweden had a nice warm shower together while Peter watched TV. Then the half asleep island nation was scooped up, and the family all curled up together, topped off with Hanatamago to sleep.

And Tino didn't notice that sometime amidst all that, Berwald had cleaned all the drawings off the windows, including Sealand's.


	3. A Crisp Spring Morning

A Crisp Spring Morning (For Cleaning Obviously)

In reality, though Finland came off as having a house-wife-ish demeanor, he was in no way feminine. No really, not at all.

In reality, he was just very simple, curious, and gay. His _manly_ pride would not let him easily admire the last part aloud; but in his mind it didn't matter, he was with Sweden, and it was not like he was hiding it.

So it wasn't because he was feminine or house-wife-ish at all that he was up in the attic one spring day, looking through boxes, sorting and cleaning. It was just his simple curiosity, and he decided if he was up there he might as well clean up. And when Sweden woke up, that was where he found him still, covered in grime and dust.

Upon climbing up into the attic, Berwald noted that the roomed seemed to have improved greatly, light actually coming through the previously filth window, and once cluttered boxes in neat stacks against the wall, neat labels showing everything was nicely organized. And in the m idle of the room Finland sat, looking through some old chests, face full of wonder. Sweden almost smiled seeing him distracted by the boxes and looking ten times dustier than he believed the room had been to begin with.

He thought it was adorable.

While contemplating this though, Finland had noticed he was in the room and had stood up, excited. Laying down what he had been holding, he hurried over to Sweden, grabbing his hand and tugging on it eagerly.

"Berwald, look what I found!"

Looking down at his wife, he nodded and let himself be lead to where the smaller man had been sitting. Stepping over boxes, he finally noticed w hat chest Tino had been looking through, but before he could comprehend a proper reaction to what he saw, Tino dropped his hand and picked up what he had been looking at, showing him.

"Look Swe, it's what you used to wear at your festivals!"

And it was. Berwald looked at what his small 'wife' was holding and gently took it into his own hands. Under his fingers the cloth was still sturdy, though worn thin in some places from use. A smile flicked across the scary man's face; the traditional clothes were a memory from his past, a flicker of colour in an old film in the reel of his mind. It took his back to the festivals of his youth; fold dances, food, and the maypole ceremony, all in celebration of the coming of spring.

Coming back to reality, he felt the smaller man's expecting eyes on him, and he let his eyes wander from the fond memory in his hands to Tino, who was looking at him in a rather curious manner.

"Nn….?"

Tino blushed and smiled. No, he was not feminine at all; it was his curiosity getting the better of him. That is why he was going to ask what he was going to.

"I want to see you… can you… would you?" he had been so prepared in asking, but as always, when he opened his mouth it all flew away, leaving him stuttering. It was always hard to his intimidating partner anything, especially if it was something potentially embarrassing for him.

For Sweden though, the reaction from the other was not hard to understand, not unusual, and if anything, a bit expected. A thoughtful expression crossed his face momentarily before going back to his default. Giving Tino the clothes he was holding, he knelt to rummage through the chest again, and after finding what he needed, he offered up a folded up set of clothes to Tino.

" I w'll 'f yuh puh t's 'n." he spoke in the mumbling dialect that was the norm of him, and it took Finland a minute to piece together what he said, but when he finally did he took the outfit with his regular Tino smile, and gave back Sweden's outfit.

" Sure Swe." With that, he ducked behind a stack of boxes to change, not quite aware what he was getting into.

Seeing that his love was simply going to change there, Sweden felt no qualms about doing the same, and soon was in the old outfit of his past. He was quite surprised that the old costume still mostly fit. Sure the sleeves and pants were a bit short, and it was a bit tight around the shoulders and chest, but it really shocked him that he hadn't grown much at all within the hundreds of years sense he had last worn it.

He was drawn from his thoughts when he heard Tino saying something from where he had moved to change.

"—not coming out wearing this Berwald…" his voice sounded nervous and uncertain, and Sweden smiled a bit, amused. Walking over to the chest he dug out the bonnet he knew was in there, and he slowly ambled over to the boxes Tino hid behind to see what Tino looked like in the outfit he gave him.

"C'm'n. C'n't b' tha' bad." He walked around the boxes and into the corner the smaller man had situated himself in, smiling his rare smile when he saw him, even though Tino was already trying to get out of the outfit.

His handsome 'wife' looked absolutely adorable in a dress.

Tino stopped undoing the dress when Berwald's shadow fell over him, and he was going to protest him seeing until he noticed how his lover looked in the outfit he had asked him to wear.

"Oh… Swe…" he smiled a bit sadly, taking a step forward and timidly reaching up to take away Berwald's glasses. Then, what was left before him was the man he first met so many hundreds of years ago.

It was like looked into the past.

Sweden saw the dream look on Finland's face and could almost see the memory as it rolled past in the smaller man's mind. With that he gently took a hold of Tino, lacing the dress back up and drawing him out of the corner he had dressed in and into the small space that was the open floor in the attic. Taking his hand, he silently began to lead him in steps so automatically built into the both of them.

They danced in the dim light provided by the one window, they danced in the clothes of the past; they danced in their memories. Left, right, around, a spin; they danced a ritual of love that had been forgotten but that found a home once again in their hearts and mind.

And when they opened their eyes once again, it was a shame to only find themselves in the attic once again. But they knew it didn't have to end.

Berwald gathered his love up in his arms and kissed him lightly.

" Wha 'lse didja f'nd?"

**A/N: I'm sorry if I got any culture wrong… I just wrote to make cute…. I didn't look things up like I should have.**


	4. A Clear Summer Night

As the chill of the spring came to an end and the heat of summer came, Berwald found himself with a restless family.

Tino went about cleaning obsessively; his son moped around moodily, not being able to stay interested in any one thing for very long. Even the dog followed listlessly at his heels. So, attributing it to some sort of cabin fever, Berwald did the only thing he could think of to get them all out of the house.

Finland had been quite surprised when he had found Berwald in the recently organized attic searching through boxes, but when the plans were explained, they were soon on their way out, micronation and dog in tow.

They were going camping.

It was a long drive up the mountains, filled with "are-we-there-yets" and Tino trying his best to distract Peter from bothering Sweden while he was driving, and when they finally got there, Berwald found his family fast asleep. He began to set up camp, leaving his family to sleep in the car, and he only moved them after he had finished setting up.

When Tino woke up, he was being carried into an already pitched tent, where he could barely see Peter curled up in a pile of blankets. He looked up shyly at the man who carried him, but before he could say anything he was set down in a nest of pillows and blankets beside Peter, and Berwald had made his way back out into the dark night.

Pushing his sleep lagged body up, he managed his way out of his tent, looking for the man who claimed him as his wife. Even though the light under the forest canvas was dim, it wasn't hard to find Sweden. The man was sitting on a log in a clearing not too far away, smoking a cigarette. With a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Tino quietly made his way over.

"Swe, I thought you quit…" Berwald looked over at Tino as the other sat down on the log beside him. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't heard his wife come over. At what he said, he looked at the lit cigarette in his hand.

"Did…" he shrugged a bit, not making a motion to put it out. He was out there to think, and he enjoyed a relaxing smoke when he was thinking.

Tino looked at him, not unsettled by the other's silence as it was in his nature.

"Why are you out here?" Tino looked at Berwald, taking in everything about him. The other sat leaning on his knees, staring up at the dimly lit sky; His face was serious as was the norm, but there was that glow in his eyes that Tino normally relied on to find that softer side of his lover. "You'll catch your death out here."

Berwald looked at his small partner, offering a gentle smile that Tino could only see because he knew what to look for. Wrapping an arm around him, he pulled the other close to his side and held him close while motioning to the cloud covered sky with his free hand, dead ashes falling to the log they sat on from the still burning cigarette.

Tino looked up to the gray, cloud covered night sky curiously.

"You're out here for… the sky?" Before he could say anything else, Berwald put a finger to his lips.

"Jus' wai'."

They sat together for a long time looking at the cloud covered sky, the only interesting thing being the flow of the moon from behind the clouds. But then Tino noticed something. He noticed that the clouds began to clear, and from behind the curtains came a gorgeous painting of the heavens that he had not witnessed for many years.

"Oh Swe…. I'd forgotten how beautiful it all is…." He looked up at the taller man, expecting to see him sharing in the view, and was surprised to see the other was instead watching him with that glow in his eyes.

"I've bin 'membrin'. 'Membrin' meetin' yeh." He put out the cigarette and looked back up at the sky. "Runnin' from Den, th' sky was like this tha' nigh'."

Tino was surprised at what the other said, not having expected anything of this sort. When they had run away…

"Really…" He was so quiet, trying to remember that night. He never was able to remember much from the beginning about that. He remembered he was terrified mostly, about Denmark coming after him, about the other man he knew little about, but the more he thought about it, the more he remembered staring at the stars most of the night. Albeit out of fear, but he did remember.

"Yah…" Finland smiled a bit, feeling a bit bad for the memory, but he thought it was rather amusing at the same time, because the man he had been so terrified of now became one of his most precious treasures. "That night was a scary night for me, but I'm glad it happened."

Sweden smiled a bit, holding Finland close to his side.

"Sec'nd best day in muh life."

Tino looked up at him a bit confused.

"Second?"

Berwald looked at him softly, the small smile playing on his lips again.

"Sec'nd to ev'ry oth'r mom'n with yuh." And he leaned in, kissing his "wife" gently, and for most of the night afterward they sat and watched the sky enjoying being with each other.

These were the moments that they cherished, the moments they could just be themselves and enjoy the softer side of their life.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. This was supposed to be the last official chapter, with small additional chapters later, but because of the wait there will be a bonus chapter posted up soon.**

**Thanks for supporting this series guys. You've all been great.**


	5. Bonus Chapter: AU A Family

**A/N: I don't even know if this is real fluff or not, but it's bonus chapter. Not beta'd so would appreciate any feedback for how it can be improved. I wanted to get this in before I go to Canada, so that's why its not beta' enjoy. Au. **

**Also, if anyone draws me fannart from any scene from any of the chapters, I'll write another chapter with a plot request from the person who drew it for me. One Chapter per one fannart.**

* * *

They had lived together for a long time as partners. Berwald even fondly called him his wife (though he always denied it.) Tino should have been happy, he didn't lack anything. He had Berwald, they had a house, a store, a dog, he had a good life, and he knew he should be grateful.

But something bothered him, and something he longed for brought him down. When he looked at the pictures on the walls, something was missing. So when he heard Berwald come home one night, he went to talk to him about it.

"Hey Swe?" he stood in the doorway from the kitchen to the sitting area where Berwald had settled after coming back from a day in his shop. The room was lit by a small fire int eh tiny little fireplace Berwald had built the spring before, and it gave a softness to the atmosphere that only stirred the nervous butterflies in Tino's stomach. Berwald looked up from the book he had settled down with to relax before he got up to make dinner.

"Yuh?" he was a bit worried, it was rare he saw his wife so timid. Yes, he was the more feminine one in his opinion, but his Tino still normally had that manly pride, and those boyish habits that reminded him constantly that he was not very wife-ish at all. But it was all gone as Tino softly made his way to next to him.

"Are you happy with how we are?" Tino looked up at him with anxious eyes, and Berwald knew there was more behind the question that the other was letting on.

" Yuh,'m happy." He nodded, pulling the other close to his side. " Whu? Somet'n wrong?" And with that he watched as the smaller man next to him blushed and looked away, nodding a bit to confirm what he thought.

"Berwald, I…." he didn't know what to say.

"I…I… I want a… a family."

Berwald looked confused, weren't they a family? He looked at him worriedly, was he not enough? Tino noticed the look though and was quick to amend his statement.

"I want a family Swe, I want a kid with you…." it was easy to notice even with the red orange glow from the fire the burning red in the other's cheeks.

Berwald relaxed a bit, the first thing being understood was that he was not being left, but then it hit him.

"uh kid?" he looked surprised and a bit shocked, which disheartened Tino.

" Y-yah. A kid." He blushed worse and looked down and away. He felt like he should have never said anything.

Berwald was okay though, and pulled Tino into his lap, frowning at his sadness.

"Wull, we hav, 'nough money, muh shops goin' gud." He smiled, rubbing the other's back, trying to cheer him up. " Wuh dun yuh luk intuh how we'd 'dopt." He smiled his soft smile, trying to show how willing he was, how the other had read the situation wrong. To Berwald, it really didn't sound like a bad idea, it always had been one of his quaint dreams to have a kid with Tino one day, so why not now?

Tino smiled, still seeming a bit sad, but looking hopeful at his lover's encouragement.

"Really?"

Berwald nodded, his small smile calming the other. And they sat together into the night talking about the technicalities, and when Tino went to bed, he was filled with new hope and energy; Filled with the eagerness that he had been lacking before.

Weeks went by with only casual mentions of the subject, and Tino began to lose hope again, but then one Sunday, Berwald caught Tino cleaning in the kitchen after lunch and ee wore a knowing smile, which bore good news for the smaller man. With excited eyes, Tino smiled, trying not to get ahead of himself.

" Yah Swe?"

Berwald wrapped his arms fondly around his wife.

"How'd yuh think uh meet'n a li'il boy?"

Tino lit up like a small sun at the words, and leaned forward into the embrace of his lover.

" Wait, you mean for like adopting Swe?" his small hands clung to the others shirt eagerly, and the biggest grin spread across his face as Berwald nodded.

"Yuh. The Clerk u' muh store has tuh give up his li'l heard was were look'n to 'dopt 'nd said 'ed rather give 'm tuh people he knows."

Tino looked like he was about to cry for joy and buried his face in Berwald's chest, nodding.

" Oh, that'd be wonderful Swe. When?"

Berwald smiled.

" How 'bout tommuruh?"

" It's most unfortunate that I can't take care of him anymore, but he's a bit wild and needs constant attention, which I'm much too busy to give him. It's really quite sad, as he's family, but you must look out for what's best for your family right?"

The man was introduced to him as Arthur Kirkland, lead the two upstairs to the apartment he and his younger brother lived in. From the conversations they had had thus far about the Kirkland family, and how the young British man had come into taking care of his brother, Tino found him a nice enough man, but thought he talked quite a bit and wondered how someone as silent as his Berwald ever got a word in edgewise to let him know they were looking to adopt.

Something else bothered him about the man though.

He talked about how he regretted the choice of giving up his brother, and said sad words, but his face and voice said differently.

The thought was merely fleeting though as soon they were in the short man's living room, and he was calling for the boy.

"Peter!"

A small boy yelled something unintelligible back, and Arthur sighed impatiently.

"Peter, come here! The nice people I told you about are here."

A few short minutes later, a short boy no more than twelve years old came out of the room, holding a godzilla toy and a toy boat.

You mean my new mom and dad?" the boy stopped and stared, not having expected two men in the room.

"Peter, these two are the ones looking to adopt you."

The boy stared at them a moment, silently studying them with his green eyes before walking slowly up to Tino.

"Are you the mom then?"

Tino blushed, almost choking a bit in surprise and laughter, but before he could say anything, Berwald put a hand on his shoulder, a sly smile on his face.

"Yuh, he is."

Peter grinned and laughed and the ice had been broken. The two spent the day with the rambunctious boy, and by the time they had to leave, all the group was sad to see the others go.

"I hope you had fun today Peter." Tino smiled warmly at the short boy he knelt in front of. He had already fallen in love with the little boy, despite the rule breaking and the button pressing, and the fact he was a generally troublesome child.

"I had lots of fun! You two are really nice!" Peter smiled, and when Tino offered a hug the boy leapt ( literally and figuratively) at the chance, even hugging Berwald afterwards even though he had complained he was scary most of the day.

And as they left, Tino clung to Berwald's arm, trying not to babble on in joy.

Month's of paper work, talks with foster care and social workers, interviews and waiting later, only allowed to see the boy when Arthur permitted, they finally had him. They were his legal guardians.

Arthur had driven him to their house earlier, having insisted on some time together before Peter was gone, and for the rest of the day after that, Tino spent time with the boy, trying to keep him cheerful. But when night fell, and the household began to get ready for bed, things changed.

Berwald was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, and Tino had just put on his pajamas when the young boy came in with his stuffed seagull, tears in his eyes.

"T-tino?"

"Oh Peter, what's wrong?" the young man went and scooped up the small boy and took him to their bed.

"Wh-why did Arthur not want me?" Tears rolled down the boys face, and Tino's worst fears were confirmed. They boy felt abandoned.

"Oh Peter dear, it's not that he didn't want you, it's just he didn't think he could take care of you like we can here. He wanted you somewhere better." He laid the boy down next to him, holding him close and petting his fluffy hair, stopping only to wipe tears from the green eyes every so often.

" B-but he wasn't even sad! He wasn't even sad to see me go today!" he barely choked out the words before he began to sob heavily into Tino's chest again.

" Oh Peter, I'm sure he was, just some people don't show emotions like everyone else. He was probably hiding in so you wouldn't be said." He didn't quite know though, remembering back to Arthur's indifferent eyes before when they first met Peter.

Berwald walked in to this, having heard the commotion, and was wondering what had happened, worried. Tino took advantage of his entrance though.

" For example Peter…" he sat up, dragging the boy with him and facing him towards Berwald, who was serious faced as always, though Tino could see the worry in his eyes.

"Berwald looks scary right? All serious looking as always." He puffed out his face and furrowed his brows, exaggerating a serious face a making Peter giggle a bit. " He might look scary , but actually hes really worried about you right now since your crying Peter."

Peter hiccupped and sniffled, the giggles subsiding and he managed out a sentence.

"B-but how can you tell?" the boy clung to Tino, staring at the confused man in the bathroom door.

"Well, with Berwald you can look at his eyes. It's hard to see until you've been with him a long time, but it's there." He motioned his love to come closer and sit with them, and he smiled as he complied and he watched Peter shift to sit between them.

"Really?" Peter looked up a bit nervously at Berwald, his energy not there to cover up how nervous the boy really felt.

"Yah, really." Tino turned the boys face to look at him and got close, fake whispering to the boy.

"You know, I was scared of Berwald when I first met him too. But really, he's just a big softy." This gave a look of surprise to Peter, more giggles bubbling up, and Tino received a look of surprise from Tino, but Tino continued. "It's easy to find out though because he, like some people, have a hard time showing their emotions. So I'm sure Arthur is sad, I'm sure he's missing you even now, he just didn't know how to show it.

Peter nodded and cuddled up to Tino, still sniffling but smiling a little bit, obviously feeling a lot better than before.

They all sat that way for a while, the only movement from Berwald, who scooped up Peter after he began to fall asleep, planning to take him to his new room. He was stopped though, by the boys small, sleepy voice.

" C-can I sleep with you two tonight?" two sleepy eyes looked up so sadly that Berwald couldn't say no, so he took him back and the three curled up together, feeling truly like a family.

"G'night Mama, Papa."


End file.
